


To Valiant Hearts Sing

by evil_brainmate



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, Atypical ABO, BAMF Eggsy, Fluff, Happy Ending, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, Omega Eggsy, Oral Sex, Rimming, consent is actually a thing, mostly just politics and smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-16 23:11:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5844613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evil_brainmate/pseuds/evil_brainmate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I would offer to you my son, and only omega child, Prince Gary's hand in marriage.”</p><p>Gary won't even look at him. The young man’s jaw is set in a hard line, his posture straight and head held high, but it looks more like false bravado of a man facing the hangman’s noose.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Valiant Hearts Sing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [monroesherlock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/monroesherlock/gifts).



> Fulfilling the request for "Royalty Arranged Marriage AU" in which Harry and Eggsy are reluctant at first, but eventually fall in love.

Harry shudders as he feels the tip of a sword tucked up into his armpit, millimeters from piercing the vulnerable gap in his armor between breastplate and gardbrace. A solid thrust in the right direction and there will be no resistance, just a slide of metal through the heart and lungs. The blade makes no move though, and the killing blow does not come.

“Surrender, or you and your men die,” growls the barbarian standing above him.

The most vivid green eyes Harry has ever encountered glare down at him, gleaming from behind a visor as the man waits for a response. Harry looks around, taking in the sea of bodies strewn around them, the ground soaked in their blood, and he feels nothing but grief and exhaustion sweep over him. The sounds of clashing metal and screams as his men fight and fall fill his ears. He lays back, beaten, the muddy earth beneath him cold and wet and he is so tired of fighting and slogging through the muck, leading his men to slaughter in a war started by nobility who would never even bother to see the lands that Harry’s people have been dying on. A war that Harry is complicit in because he was too trusting to see it coming. For a moment, he considers death—it would be quick and clean at this range—but he knows that it’s the coward’s choice and ultimately, his people would suffer the consequences.

‘No more,’ Harry thinks and closes his eyes.

“I surrender,” he says.

A moment later, the sword is withdrawn and the horn from his own belt is slapped into his hand. The order is unspoken, but Harry brings it to his chapped lips and sounds a rhythmic signal, and seconds later white flags go up across the field.

“Good choice,” says the green-eyed man.

* * *

Harry opens his door and is unsurprised to see someone waiting to escort him to the peace talks. What does surprise him is the obvious quality of the man’s otherwise utilitarian leather jerkin, and his fur trimmed wool cloak—obviously not a servant or even a guard waiting for him. A glance upwards greets him with familiar green eyes set in a pretty face with a strong jawline.

Harry’s first thought is that he’s to be assassinated, but King Lee is nothing if not an honorable man. Once Harry had surrendered to his forces, there’d been no more lives lost. It would be uncharacteristically underhanded of him to send someone to kill Harry during treaty negotiations.

“Ready to go then?” asks the man waiting for him. “I’m here to escort you to see my father. Your councilor is already waitin’ for you.”

“Your father? You must be Prince Gary,” Harry observes, and receives a nod in return.

The prince looks him up and down for a moment, seemingly unimpressed. “You’ll freeze going around like that.”

Harry glances from his own silk doublet, tunic, and fitted hose, to Gary’s heavier clothing.

“Yes. Unfortunately, it’s all I have befitting negotiations,” Harry replies, “I couldn’t get something more appropriate tailored on such short notice.”

“You northerners really aren’t meant for the cold, are you?”

“I don’t know. I seem to recall southerners sweating like pigs and passing out from the heat during the summer.”

“Fuck northern summers,” Gary huffs with a laugh. “That’s just brutal. No wonder you lot keep tryin’ to come down here.”

“That’s not—”

Gary dismisses Harry’s explanation with a wave of his hand, and reaches to unclasp his cloak.

“Save it for my father,” Gary says as he carefully drapes his cloak around Harry’s shoulders. “I can at least make sure you don’t freeze to death before you see him,” he adds.

Harry reaches up to secure the clasp at his shoulder and marvels over the material. It’s thick and surprisingly soft to the touch, still warm from the prince’s body heat. The soft fur trim tickles his neck where it brushes against his skin, and there’s a lovely sweet scent clinging to it that forces Harry to resist the urge to bury his nose in it.

“Thank you,” Harry says.

Gary just gives him a nod in return, and leads Harry across the fort’s grounds.

The negotiations are held in a small holding just on the southern side of the border, so while it’s not as cold as it would be in the southern capital, the first frost has already come and the climate is far more cool and damp than Harry prefers. He clings a little tighter to the cloak around him. When they approach their destination, Harry sees his councilor Merlin waiting for him in the antechamber, exasperation over Harry’s tardiness written in his expression.

“I’ll see you inside, and remember, we’ll know if you try to run off,” Gary says with a smirk. With that, he enters the council chamber and closes the door behind him, leaving Harry and Merlin alone for the moment.

“What's this?” Merlin asks, briefly running a finger over the fur trim of Gary’s cloak, and Harry has to restrain himself from snapping at the man.

“Prince Gary noticed I am not particularly suited to the climate,” Harry replies as nonchalant as possible.

“No one’s offered me anything,” Merlin pouts, trying to make light of their situation.

“You're also not royalty.”

“Fine. Leave us commoners to freeze. It reeks of pheromones anyway.”

“I think we have more pressing matters at hand,” Harry grits. It’s unlike him to be so irritable over a little harmless ribbing from Merlin, but he assumes it’s the tension of the situation they’re about to step into that’s getting to him.

“We really don't have a leg to stand on here, Harry,” Merlin sighs and rubs at his temple, obviously combating a forming headache and the negotiations haven’t even begun. “You surrendered.”

“I know that. I need you to look into what we can offer in reparations.”

“Reparations?” Merlin asks, surprise written on his face. “The negotiations haven’t even started and already you’re throwing things at them.”

“You know I never wanted this, Merlin. I need something I can do for both sides.”

“I suppose we can see about sending some of our harvest this way. God knows how the south doesn’t die of scurvy in the winter.”

“Good,” Harry says and reaches for the door. “That’s a good start.”

The two of them enter the council room, all eyes turn to Harry, and he notes the way they linger for a moment on his outerwear. He and Merlin take their seats across from Lee and his advisors. Harry is unsurprised to see Lee’s generals, Percival and Lancelot, seated among them along with Lee’s children, Prince Gary and Princess Roxanne. Everyone seems suspiciously uninterested in Harry once Lee calls for the negotiations to begin.

Most of the day is then spent in a deadlock with typical political posturing on both sides, and Harry is exhausted by the end of it. Regardless, as Prince Gary gets up to leave, Harry automatically reaches to the clasp at his shoulder.

“You’ll want this back I suppose,” he says, catching the younger man’s attention.

Gary responds with a shake of his head. “Keep it for now. You'll need it.”

* * *

“Marriage?!” the prince cries. “What do you mean marriage?”

“You know what marriage means, Eggsy,” Lee sighs and leans back in his chair.

It isn’t unusual for the prince or princess and their father to be found in a study at all hours of the night, given that they are both often included on matters of the state. It is Lee’s personal belief that he would never allow for either of his children’s education to lack in any subject, regardless of their status or manner of inheritance. This particular evening though, Lee and Eggsy are alone, given that neither want an audience for this discussion.

Eggsy groans in response to his father’s glib remark and dramatically flops onto a chaise lounge, and Lee silently counts to ten to pull himself together.

“You seemed more than happy to stake a claim on him earlier,” Lee chides, aiming to lighten the tone to ease Eggsy into the idea.

“What?” Eggsy yelps, his head whipping up in surprise.

“Honestly, you aren’t very subtle, covering the man in your clothing and scent like that.”

“He doesn’t have anything warm!”

“You chose the one that bears your insignia on it.”

“I just… I don’t want people messing with him either,” Eggsy grumbles and pointedly looks away from his father. “He’s here for negotiations. I don’t want him to end up roughed up or with frostbite for it.”

Lee in return looks unimpressed.

“Me being a caring person doesn’t mean I need to marry everyone I’m nice to,” Eggsy huffs, feeling heat rise in his cheeks.

“You knew this day would come eventually, Eggsy,” Lee says, trying a more pragmatic approach.

“I thought you’d finally given up after I broke my last suitor’s nose,” Eggsy hisses in return.

“No, suitors have been rather scarce. It’s very hard to arrange a politically advantageous marriage when word gets out the groom in question is likely to maul someone,” Lee drawls, and it’s not untrue. After Eggsy’s last stunt, most of the offers dried up like flowers in a northern heat wave. It seemed few were willing to deal with what many would term as a ‘problem omega’.

“So this is all out of desperation then?” Eggsy spits, and pushes himself up to pace the room. “Can’t get rid of me any other way so you send me off with someone who can’t say no.”

“Now that is untrue. Your mother and I love you dearly, Eggsy, but our positions require sacrifices be made.”

“But why does it have to be me? I’m just as strong as Roxy. I’ve trained just as hard as Roxy,” Eggsy barks, hands gesticulating with his words.

“Roxy is also an alpha, Eggsy,” Lee says pointedly, and he flinches as his own son looks away, curling in on himself defensively. A moment later, Lee is out of his chair and orbiting the edge of Eggsy’s space.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of for being an omega, but you cannot succeed me,” Lee adds, placing a gentle hand on Eggsy’s shoulder. Even though they’ve had this conversation many times before, it’s always a sore topic between them. “The people would never accept a king that they thought might be swayed by an alpha, no matter how headstrong we both know you are.”

“Let me remind you, I bested the man who you’re askin’ me to marry,” Eggsy replies, pride and anger ringing through his tone as he shrugs out from under his father’s hand, “and I did so in your name. How is he not going to see that as an insult?”

“Because Harry Hart is many things, but he is also a good man.”

“He started a war with us!”

“Eggsy, there’s been tension brewing along the border for years. If Harry wanted to start a war for some petty reason, he would have done so much sooner. He’s been willing to see to our negotiations so far.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you have to involve me in all of this!” Eggsy howls.

“Because I need you to stabilize the situation!” Lee answers in a not-quite shout, unwilling to invoke his status to enforce dominance over his son. “God help me, but you’re probably the only person who can.”

“What? I don’t—”

“Eggsy, I can’t rule two countries. I don’t want to. We need to negotiate a truce, but I need someone with a vested interest in maintaining it on the other side.”

“If Harry’s such a good man, why can’t he be expected to keep his word?” Eggsy asks.

“Harry will doubtlessly agree to peace, but he is one man in a council of much older noble houses than we have here. He is used to political maneuvering to keep his power,” Lee explains and taps a finger against Eggsy’s chest. “You are an omega who has successfully led armies of alphas and betas to follow you through hell. With you as his consort, the two of you will be unstoppable.”

“It’s different commanding our armies though. They believe in me anyway because I’m their prince. Harry barely even knows me,” Eggsy says, and realization dawns on him in that moment. “Is this why you had me escortin’ him around?”

* * *

It's the fourth day of negotiations and Harry has come to expect seeing Prince Gary waiting outside of his door each morning, but today the prince seems unsettled in a way that slightly worries Harry.

“Is there something I should know about?” Harry asks, and is only greeted with confusion from the younger man. “I only ask because you seem rather distracted.”

“Not for me to say,” the prince replies with a shrug.

“Well, I suppose assassinations _are_ typically meant to be a surprise,” Harry says dryly.

“Just get moving,” Gary huffs and tries to hold back a grin.

Harry takes the crack in the prince’s composure as victory enough and falls into step beside the other.

“You do realize I know where I’m going by now?” Harry asks. “There’s no need for you to trouble yourself.”

“Call it security if you like. Either way, I’m sticking with you for a while.”

Perhaps Harry is overanalyzing and the prince is simply having an off day, but Harry can’t help but feel like there’s added weight behind those words.

Hours later, Harry feels like kicking himself for ever doubting his instincts. It’s nearing late afternoon, and—although Harry probably shouldn’t—he can’t help but notice that Prince Gary seems somehow even more unnerved than before.

“While we appreciate the reparations you are willing to make,” King Lee begins, in that diplomatic ‘fuck you’ manner used when one knows they have their opponent by the shorthairs, “there are some doubts about the… stability of our truce.”

“Are you saying you doubt I am a man of my word?” Harry snips, unable to completely mask his offense at the accusation.

“Never, Harry, I hold you in the highest esteem,” Lee replies, completely sincere. “That said, you have relayed that the initial disputes that led to this war stemmed from lords within your kingdom.”

It’s not an insult outright, but there’s the underlying implication: Harry is someone who cannot be expected to keep his house in order, as it were. The suggestion riles his instincts, but Harry doesn’t rise to the bait.

“Who will be dealt with accordingly,” Harry replies, and there’s a lingering growl rumbling through his voice.

“Will they? In the long run, I mean, not just immediate recompense?” Lee asks, his tone gaining an edge of urgency. “You have no spouse, no immediate heirs; when the time comes you are to be succeeded by your cousin, isn't it? A Lady Margaret who is in fact closely tied to one of these houses through marriage.”

“That is correct.”

“Then you must understand my doubts that they aren't going to disregard this treaty the moment she takes the throne.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“I propose an alliance forged through blood,” Lee states, an undercurrent of amusement at Harry’s obvious stalling rings through his words.

“Marriage then,” Harry surmises. “So that my children will have ties to both kingdoms?”

“It's to our mutual benefit. Neither of us want a war, and you are in sore need of heirs.”

“And who did you have in mind?” Harry asks, but he needn't bother. He already knows and it turns his stomach when he thinks of how unsettled the prince has been around him today. At least Gary had some warning.

“I would offer to you my son, and only omega child, Prince Gary's hand in marriage.”

Gary won't even look at him. The young man’s jaw is set in a hard line, his posture straight and head held high, but it looks more like false bravado of a man facing the hangman’s noose.

“I don't suppose you would be so kind as to allow me to think it over?” Harry croaks, his throat suddenly dry as he fights off a wave of nausea.

“If you would like, take whatever time you need,” Lee replies with a shark like grin. “If you decide this arrangement won't suit you, I'm sure we can work something out.”

“Thank you. I have much to consider now, if you’ll excuse me.”

And with that, Harry beats the most dignified hasty retreat from the council chamber he can manage, Merlin not far behind.

Lee watches the man go and leans back in his chair with a sigh, the palm of one hand scraping over his face.

“A little heavy handed there, Dad,” Roxy states. It’s not her or Eggsy’s place to participate in their father’s politics, but as an observer, Roxy can’t help but be candid when their guests leave.

“Sometimes the direct approach is the best for certain people, Roxy. You’ll learn that in time,” Percival adds, not bothering to look up from the notes he’s gathered. The man is by no means a scribe, but he’s done well to document their initial proceedings, and a more formal treaty will be drawn up later.

“And you’re alright with this, Eggsy?” Roxy asks, turning to her brother who hasn’t spoken a word or made eye contact with anyone all day. Although, now at least she knows why he’s been so withdrawn.

“It’s the easiest way to clear this mess up, right? Give the man a few babies; secure an alliance,” Eggsy says with a shrug.

“You can’t be serious,” Roxy hisses and looks to her father. “Right, Dad?”

“It all depends on Harry’s decision now,” Lee says.

“The man would have to be blind to say no. Seriously, who could pass up the chance for their children to have this jawline?” Lancelot huffs and taps Eggsy’s chin playfully, earning a weak smile from the lad.

“Right, I think we’ve all had enough of this politicking nonsense,” Lee says as he gets up from his seat with a languid stretch. “Roxy, Eggsy, get some light armour. I feel like we should have a bout before supper.”

“You know Mum’s not going to be pleased if we show up late _and_ dirty,” Roxy says with a conspiratorial grin.

“All the more reason it sounds like a great idea. We could use some trouble,” Lee says.

* * *

“Merlin, be honest. How bad is this?” Harry asks when the two of them finally find a spot away from prying ears up on the ramparts.

“Bad,” Merlin says completely deadpan.

Harry smiles and leans against the stone balustrade. “I was worried you’d say that.”

“Our king went off to fight the southerners and not only got his arse kicked by their omega prince, but returns home with said prince as his own little barbarian husband.”

“Well when you put it like that,” Harry sighs, and leans over the edge to peer down at the training yard below. “Perhaps it’s not so bad. Shake things up a little bit with someone not bound by the chains of politics and pleasantries I have to pretend I care about.”

“Let’s hope your lad has the brass we think he does, or you’re both going to be eaten alive,” Merlin murmurs, and joins Harry in his observations.

In the training yard below he can see the king and one of his advisors having a practice fight against his children. The young lady appears to be wielding a training sword and shield while her brother instead is playing with a pair of blunted daggers. It’s an interesting display as Harry has only ever seen the prince in full plate armour with a broadsword, but the prince was equally at ease moving in a flurry of blades using his lithe body to his advantage; often flexing and bending out of range of his opponent’s weapons while scoring a hit or two while in range.

“Well, if nothing else, they breed them as pretty as they are deadly here in the south,” Merlin muses, and Harry rolls his eyes.

“Give it a few generations of inbreeding and they’ll look just like Margaret.”

“True, at least your mother was from outside the family line.”

“A blessing for my overall features, but unfortunately not for my hair.”

“You hide those curls anyway. If you take the offer, at least you know you’ll have some decent looking brats running around.”

“Optimism, from you Merlin?” Harry jibes. “Things must be truly dire.”

“Harry, this had to be part of Lee’s plan. The reparations he’s asking are a pittance; he could have ousted you entirely if he wanted. Instead, he’s asking you to take a very strong and attractive omega home with you so that he has someone looking over your shoulder.”

“Just what I always wanted: to be a puppet with someone pulling my strings.”

“Isn’t that usually how marriage works? Though not necessarily with pulling _strings_.”

“He doesn’t even want me, Merlin. You saw him today,” Harry sighs, gazing down once again at the prince who is finally showing some of his usual vivacity, joyfully shoving at his sister’s shoulder as they make their way into the armoury.

“And you dinnae ask for him, but we cannot afford to reject Lee’s generosity. Get your head out of your arse; marry a gorgeous young man and have a bunch of beautiful little bairns, or be ready to deal with the fallout of running your kingdom into the ground.”

* * *

Harry spends most of the early evening hours after his conversation with Merlin alone in his temporary chambers mulling over the day’s events. He hardly touches the supper brought to him, anxiety burning in his gut turning him from even the thought of food. On the one hand, he’s not eager to jump into a loveless marriage with a potential enemy, but on the other Harry knew that being nobility of any sort practically guaranteed an arranged marriage. Besides, as Merlin so charitably pointed out, Harry’s refusal would likely lead his kingdom to ruin. While his marriage to Prince Gary would raise many eyebrows and some ire, it would be nothing compared to paying whatever sum in reparations Lee felt entitled to if Harry slighted him.

Harry is startled from his musings by a knock at the door. He considers ignoring it, sure that it’s a servant come to collect the remains of his supper, but the knocking sounds again more insistently. Harry sighs and gets up to answer the door, only to be surprised when he sees the prince on the other side, an irritated furrow in his brow and hand poised to knock again.

“Prince Gary,” Harry greets him, slipping into formality with ease. “This is rather unexpected.”

“I need to talk to you,” the prince mutters, and shoulders past Harry into the room.

“I beg your pardon,” Harry sputters, and turns to glare at the other for the complete lack of decorum. “I hope you realize that this is highly inappropriate for you to be in another gentleman’s room unchaperoned.”

“Fuck propriety,” Gary spits.

“People will talk,” Harry hisses, and closes the door behind him after checking that no one is lurking in the halls. “I haven’t even agreed to marry you, and you’re already meeting me in private.”

“I’m pretty sure a knee to the groin will keep you from sampling the goods beforehand.”

“I would never—”

“I figured,” the prince says, and takes a seat on the nearby chair. Harry counts it as a small blessing that he didn’t decide to sit on his bed.

“Well, seeing as you obviously won’t be dissuaded, what did you need to speak to me about, Gary?”

“First of all, you’re going to call me Eggsy.”

“Why would I do that?” Harry asks, genuinely confused, although the prince might be having him on.

“My entire family calls me that in private,” Eggsy replies with a shrug. “If we’re gonna be married, you should do the same.”

“Alright, Eggsy,” Harry relents, and takes a seat on the edge of his bed across from Eggsy, cursing the small private room he was stuck with. “I’m going to reiterate that I haven’t agreed to marriage yet.”

“But you’re going to,” Eggsy states with no room for reproach. “You either marry me and inevitably piss off a handful of nobles, or you don’t and the restitution is so steep that your people eventually starve.”

“Nothing like thinly veiled threats to put things in perspective. We’re off to a marvelous start already,” Harry snaps.

“I’m not threatening you, I’m just sayin’ how politics works. It’s shite either way, but your options are likely a civil war, which I can have my family’s forces help quell, or you face open rebellion alone and likely die.”

“Did you show up here just to tell me how to rule my own nation?”

“No. I came here because I want to know at least something about the man I might be spendin’ the rest of my life with.”

“You hardly seem pleased with the situation. Tell me, do you even want to marry me?”

“I want to make the best of a shitty situation!” Eggsy snaps, eyes burning bright with determination, though his expression softens a little as he adds, “If marrying you means less people die in the long run, that’s the right choice.”

“Alright, what would you like to know?” Harry sighs, realizing he won’t be able to get rid of Eggsy so easily. Eggsy licks at his lips in consideration, mulling over his questions, and Harry tries not to follow the motion.

“How did you get dragged into this war?” Eggsy asks after a moment. “I know that those little shits on the border were eyein’ up our mountains again and started the hostilities.”

“Your country has a lot of minerals that some of our nobles would like in their hands. I failed to keep a keen enough eye on the situation.”

“Yeah, but how does a king end up on the front lines?”

“Technically, I wasn’t. You just brought the front line to me.”

“You know what I mean.”

Harry takes a moment to consider his answer and settles himself more comfortably, finally giving up and scooting back until he’s braced against the headboard. Eggsy eyes up the spot next to him for a moment, but seems to think better of it and remains where he is.

“Our politics are… complicated to say the least,” Harry explains. “Your family holds power through military prowess and you and your sister and cousins lead your father’s armies, correct?”

Eggsy nods in response.

“Consider it the same in the north but with a lot more frivolous nonsense around it. I have no children, and my cousin’s children are too dense to find their own arse with both hands and a map,” Harry clarifies, unable to help the bitterness in his tone as he thinks of his family. “I have military leaders, but it would be disgraceful for there not to be a member of my direct bloodline leading the charge.”

“You really do need heirs then,” Eggsy observes.

“Your father wasn’t wrong on that account.”

“Then why did you take so long to find a mate? Or spouse, I suppose.”

“I can’t trust any of the nobility to not be furthering their own agendas, all of which I’m not particularly fond of.”

“Isn’t it the same for me though?”

“I suppose, if we were to marry, your agenda will be ensuring peace and stability with your country, and not allowing anything to cause immediate harm to our children,” Harry surmises. “Your ulterior motives are more transparent as it were.”

“I guess so,” Eggsy agrees.

“And how is it you haven’t been paired off with anyone already?” Harry asks, unable to contain his curiosity as to how an omega such as Eggsy doesn’t have a dozen suitors much more suitable than himself.

“I’m too strong for most alphas. Physically and well...” Eggsy trails off with a shrug. “Let’s just leave it as I’m not all meek and domestic how they’d like.”

“No, I suppose you’re not; given that you rather spectacularly handed me my own arse when we met.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Your Majesty.”

“It’s not flattery; just fact. So what else did you want to know?”

The two of them continue conversing well into the night, and although Harry is certain it will set tongues wagging, he can’t claim to be sorry. As the evening progresses, he and Eggsy become at least somewhat amicable, although neither are quite enthused about the prospect of marriage. Still, there are far worse fates Harry could resign himself to than having a headstrong husband. Harry sees that as an asset more than anything. While he may be an alpha, it is distressing to think himself solely responsible for another person’s entire life and well-being—as some alpha’s expect from an omega—when he’s already responsible for a kingdom.

“I suppose starting tomorrow we should discuss the particulars with your father?” Harry asks as he finally escorts Eggsy to the door.

“We?” Eggsy asks, and there’s something almost hopeful in his expression that pains Harry to see.

“Well, I thought you would have some opinions on our arrangement.”

“Oh. Yeah—er—yes,” Eggsy stumbles. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

* * *

The next few weeks fly by in a blur for Harry. Apparently, his easy acceptance of his and Eggsy’s betrothal is all it takes to set rather unstoppable wheels into motion, and Harry spends his time finalizing treaties and marriage agreements and checking in on his wedding plans. Once he returns home, occasionally he is interrupted by the need to pacify doubting nobles—with varying results given that he makes a jab about “aristocrats developing weak chins” when Chester King casts a disparaging comment about Eggsy’s lack of proper breeding. Still, time and careful planning marches forward as the date of the wedding draws closer.

Eggsy in turn spends his time being fitted for a suit styled for a northern wedding, as well as brushing up on social norms so that he doesn’t make a complete arse of himself and start some sort of blood feud by eating with the wrong utensil.

“Eggsy, baby, are you sure you want to go through with this?” Michelle asks the evening before they are to depart for the northern capital.

Eggsy turns from the few items he’s collecting that he refuses to leave behind and looks to his mother. She looks so small and worried where she stands by his door with his baby sister Daisy tucked against her hip, and Eggsy is torn between reassuring her and the truth.

“I’ll be fine, Mum,” he says, settling for something in between.

“That’s not what I asked, Eggsy, and you know it,” Michelle snips, careful to keep her tone lowered around the baby.

“Even if I’m not, the treaties have been signed for weeks. It’s for the best.”

“I know. I’m just worried.”

“Don’t be. I’m as strong as any alpha, yeah?” Eggsy says, and pulls his mother into a one armed hug, mindful of his sister between them. “I can take care of myself.”

Michelle nods and wipes away a few tears in the corner of her eyes.

“Besides, Harry seems an alright sort from the few conversations we’ve had. And that’s more than a lot of couples know when their marriages are arranged for them,” Eggsy adds, trying to reassure his mother, but sounding more like he’s trying to convince himself.

* * *

A king’s wedding is apparently a grand affair in the north; not that Eggsy expected differently, but he hadn’t really grasped just _how much_ of an event it was. In the days preceding, the entire city is festooned in decorations, and visitors and locals alike crowd the streets, already full to bursting with various merchants taking advantage of the increase in potential customers. Likewise, the palace is swarming with nobility and servants alike and, whether by happenstance or design, Eggsy finds that he doesn’t see much of Harry in that time.  He suspects the latter, given that his items are moved to a private suite in the same wing as the other royal apartments; which connects to a massive sprawling residence that is to be shared between them in time, with Harry’s own private quarters on the other side.

It’s all far grander than Eggsy is used to, even as royalty himself.

It comes as a surprise then, when Eggsy answers the knock at his door the day before his wedding and finds Harry himself standing outside.

“I was beginning to wonder if I was gettin’ married at all tomorrow,” Eggsy teases, but feels a wave of relief wash over him at Harry’s presence, as inappropriate as it might be for them to be alone together before the wedding.

“I was hoping you would come for a walk with me,” Harry replies and offers Eggsy his arm.

Eggsy eyes Harry suspiciously for a moment, but ultimately relents and links his arm with Harry’s and follows along.

The two of them make their way across the grounds and away from all the noise and bustle of the palace proper. It takes a moment for Eggsy to realize that Harry is leading him towards the stables and kennels.

“Wait here,” Harry says as he enters the kennels.

Eggsy waits as asked, although he must admit his curiosity is piqued. Soon enough though, Harry returns with a small blanket wrapped bundle in his arms.

“What’s this?” Eggsy asks.

“My wedding present to you,” Harry replies with a small smile.

Eggsy looks at Harry in question for a moment before he folds back the corner of the blanket in Harry’s arms to reveal a small puppy; squishy faced and squirming in Harry’s gentle hold.

“I know that our wedding isn’t until tomorrow, but I thought I might introduce you two a little early,” Harry explains, and Eggsy cautiously takes the little beast into his own hands, marveling at the cute little fluff ball.

“It’s a dog, innit? I’ve never seen one so small.” Eggsy observes and lifts the creature up for a closer inspection. “It’ll get bigger won’t it?”

“Not by much I’m afraid,” Harry replies.

“What’s it do then?” Eggsy asks, genuinely confused. “Most the dogs back home are for hunting or herding. Is he gonna chase rats?”

“It doesn’t do anything. These are specifically bred and raised to be companions.”

“I know the feeling,” Eggsy sighs and cuddles the little pup close to his chest, stroking its soft fur.

“I’m terribly sorry, I shouldn’t have,” Harry says, sounding suddenly unsure in a way that pains Eggsy a little. “I hope it’s not too much of me to say that I just—I didn’t want you to feel alone here so far from home and your family.”

Eggsy stares up at Harry in shock at the admission, feeling a little lost at the alpha’s obvious concern for him before they’ve even properly bonded.

“I can tell the kennel master to keep him if you’d like,” Harry adds. “I’m sure one of the other nobles would be glad to pay for him.”

“No. It’s alright!” Eggsy replies, his voice cracking a little in his rush. “I’d like to keep him.”

There’s a moment of silence before Eggsy looks to Harry again, a light flush staining his cheeks as he adds: “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, Eggsy. I suppose I’ll leave you two to get acquainted then?” Harry asks and turns back towards the palace.

“Harry!” Eggsy calls softly and grasps onto one of the man’s wrists, unwilling to push Harry away when the other man looks just as lost as Eggsy feels. “Stay for a while?”

“If you’d like.”

* * *

Harry can’t say he’s been looking forward to the wedding itself, aside from the fact that all the nonsense that came with it would be over then. And while with each moment he has spent with Eggsy so far he became more hopeful for an agreeable—if not particularly passionate or romantic—marriage, nothing could prepare him for the resplendent sight of his future mate as he makes his way down the aisle. Eggsy’s gorgeous blue silk trousers and jacket, the latter patterned with delicate silver embroidery, cling flatteringly to his frame while still retaining modesty. The crown of flowers woven into the prince’s hair only serve to accentuate the colors more and soften Eggsy’s appearance, to denote his omega status as is traditional. In all his years, Harry has never seen anything as marvelous as the young man before him, even with Eggsy’s disdain shining like fire in his eyes at all the trappings so unsuited to him. Eggsy’s gaze turns somewhat appreciative as he takes in Harry’s similar, although more domineering, appearance. Eggsy’s eyes meet Harry’s a moment later, and there’s a challenge there as though Eggsy dares Harry to comment. In that moment, Harry knows that he has at least found an equal.

The ceremony itself is a brief and uninteresting affair for most of the guests, but Harry feels his heart racing in his chest for fear that he will say something wrong, or that he or Eggsy will run. Eggsy, however, is a solid and resolute presence the entire time. The two manage to not make complete arses of themselves long enough to survive until the following festivities. Although, Eggsy looks positively unnerved when Harry takes his hand and the two enter the open space reserved for their customary dance.

“I’ve been dreading this part,” Eggsy mutters to Harry as the alpha places a hand at his waist, and steps off with the first initial beat of the song.

“You’ll do fine,” Harry assures him, although it’s with more than a bit of bravado on his part.

The dance itself is a test. It isn’t slow, tender, or romantic. Instead, it’s a challenge for the pair to cooperate and find their rhythm within the ever changing pace of the song. At times, Harry can see Eggsy looking almost dizzy with the rapid steps and twirls, but he knows the younger man has been practicing for weeks and his footwork won’t fail here any more than it would in a fight. Still, each time the tempo slows, Harry pulls Eggsy to him and eases him into the following steps. When the pace picks up again, he gives Eggsy more room to maneuver. The two of them seldom take their eyes off each other until the very end when Eggsy winds back in and is pressed close against Harry’s chest, flushed and panting lightly in ways that have Harry’s instincts stirring.

Harry shoves aside his nature afterward and throughout the evening’s feast. Of course, the dining all culminates in the traditional game as their guests stack a series of small cakes between the couple, and Harry tries not to let himself linger too long as Eggsy smiles against his lips when the two of them stand on their toes and attempt to kiss over the top of the cakes, much to the amusement of their guests.

All too soon after that comes the moment that Eggsy has been dreading, as the evening’s festivities wind to a close. Knowing glances are cast their way as he and Harry make their way from the main hall. Eggsy feels his cheeks burning with shame under the scrutiny, and purposely turns his gaze to the floor to avoid making eye contact with his mother and father.

It’s not until the two of them reach their chambers, and witnesses see them actually enter their shared apartment, that they have a moment of peace and privacy. Harry takes a moment to remove his boots, Eggsy reaches up and tugs the ridiculous flowers from his own hair, and they both take a moment to catch their breath. Trepidation is almost palpable in the silence between them. Still, better to get things over with, so Eggsy leads the way to the bedroom. Unfortunately, the room is cast in a dim glow of the usual evening fire and some candles that makes it seem more terrifying than inviting. Eggsy’s gaze alights on a collection of vials and cloth near the bedside on a table and he looks through them, examining each one and pointedly not looking at Harry as he tries to gather his nerve. He uncaps each bottle, testing the contents. He’s fairly certain under no circumstance are the oils going to be used; he doesn’t understand the reason for lubricant given what his biology is supposed to do. The pain relievers and healing salve at least make a little more sense.

“Are we missing something?” Harry asks, causing Eggsy to startle and nearly drop the vial he’s holding. The alpha makes no move to approach though.

“I guess it’s too much to ask that they’d bring something to knock me out while you do your thing and get this over with,” Eggsy sighs and sets the bottle down.

Harry clears his throat uncomfortably and Eggsy finally turns his gaze to him.

“I would much prefer you conscious. I don’t want my first er—encounter with my husband to be while he’s not even awake to enjoy it,” Harry says.

“Is it actually enjoyable though? That’s the question,” Eggsy counters.

“Well, I suppose—” Harry abruptly stops as realization dawns on him. “Have you done anything like this before?”

“Are you seriously asking that?”

“Obviously, I am now.”

“No, alright?” Eggsy growls and pushes his shoulders straight, daring the alpha to say a word. “Didn't exactly have people lining up to get their bits chopped off if they got caught. And I wasn’t about to cock up alliances by getting sprogged up, or some traditionalist ponce finding out someone else touched me first.”

“Exactly what, if anything at all, have you done?”

“Does it really matter? We both know you just have to pop a knot in me anyway.”

“It would give me a helpful starting point.”

“I kissed someone once; years back when I was young enough to not know what a scandal it was. That’s about it.”

Harry’s surprise at Eggsy’s admission is obvious. “Well that's not anxiety inducing at all.”

“What?” Eggsy pouts because if anyone has the right to be panicking, it’s him.

“Well, given my performance tonight is going to determine whether or not I ever have sex again for the rest of my life...”

“I’ve heard it hurts,” Eggsy blabs, and immediately feels like an idiot, but Harry looks genuinely concerned.

“And who told you that nonsense?” Harry asks, a steely glint in his eyes.

“No one. Just, you overhear things sometimes,” Eggsy replies and tugs at his sleeves, not wanting to look at Harry.

Of course, Harry will have none of it and finally crowds into Eggsy’s space, and tilts the omega’s chin up to look at him. “If an alpha ever hurts their partner, it’s because they don’t care or they’re a fucking idiot.”

“Hope you aren’t in either of those categories,” Eggsy says casually, but Harry can practically feel the tension vibrating under the younger man’s skin.

“I’d most certainly hope not. Never doubt that I do care for you, Eggsy,” Harry replies and slides a hand to the nape of Eggsy’s neck, softly stroking the the sensitive skin there until Eggsy shivers and relaxes a bit.

Eggsy nods and unwinds a little more into Harry’s reassuring touch. “So what’s next?”

Harry releases his hold of Eggsy’s neck and, instead, takes his hand and steps back towards the bed. As soon as his legs touch the frame, he sits, pulling Eggsy into the space between his knees.

“For now, I think this will be much easier if we’re both sitting,” Harry says and gives Eggsy’s hand a gentle tug.

Eggsy follows the implication and quickly kicks off his boots before he climbs up on the bed and into Harry’s lap, blushing as he settles his knees on either side of Harry’s hips. Harry immediately pulls Eggsy a little closer, allowing himself to take the omega’s weight so that he doesn’t strain to hold himself up. Once Eggsy is comfortable, Harry reels him in for a gentle kiss, not wanting to unnerve the other.

Eggsy feels some of the nervous energy drain out of him as Harry’s lips brush softly against his own, warm and pliant as they were earlier today, but now with the barest hint of teeth occasionally nipping at his bottom lip. He decides that if nothing else, kissing Harry isn’t so bad, especially when the alpha swipes his tongue across his lips and Eggsy instinctually opens his mouth, allowing Harry access. Harry sighs against Eggsy’s mouth and slides his tongue languidly against Eggsy’s own, encouraging him to return his advances in an increasingly playful exchange. Eggsy groans when that tongue flicks against a particularly sensitive spot in the roof of his mouth, and breaks away from Harry to take in a gasping breath.

“Alright?” Harry asks, and Eggsy nods dumbly in return before diving back in to capture Harry’s mouth in a kiss even more searing than the last. It’s a little startling how desperate he is for Harry’s taste along his tongue, but Eggsy chalks it up to instinct and it’s only a moment later he realizes his hands are clawing and scrabbling at Harry’s jacket; buttons apparently beyond his hormone-addled nerves. Eggsy whines and tears himself away from Harry’s all too acquiescing mouth to gain some perspective.

“You’re allowed to touch me however you like, Eggsy,” Harry assures him.

“You sure about that?” Eggsy asks, flicking his gaze up at Harry who looks a little flushed and nowhere near as hesitant as Eggsy feels.

Harry responds by reaching up and popping the first few buttons on his jacket, revealing a small hint of pale throat and collarbone before the rest disappears under his tunic. Eggsy immediately feels a visceral urge to bury his face in the base of Harry’s throat, but holds himself back in order to work at the last few buttons of Harry’s jacket. It only takes a moment and Harry shrugs out of the silky fabric and follows it by removing his shirt as well, revealing the broad expanse of his naked chest. Eggsy sucks in a startled breath at the revealed skin, unsure of what to do, although a part of him wants nothing more than to slide his fingers through the scattering of hair along Harry’s chest and feel the muscles and scarred skin under his palms. Eggsy throws caution and nerves to the wind and does just that, and Harry seems more than content to let him. After a minute or so of exploration, Harry’s patience catches up to Eggsy and he feels vulnerable again.

“Do you want—shouldn’t I be…” Eggsy trails off and gestures at himself, still completely clothed in Harry’s lap.

“Take your time, Eggsy,” Harry assures him, and there’s no hint of frustration or judgment in his voice. “It’s not a race and I’m not going to steal a moment’s enjoyment from you.”

Eggsy nods and swallows his anxieties with a dry click, but Harry is true to his word and doesn’t fight when Eggsy pushes him back down against the bed. Some alphas would undoubtedly be unnerved to have their omega in a position above them in any sense of the word, but Harry simply watches and waits to see what Eggsy will do. He doesn’t have to wait long as Eggsy briefly noses at his throat, breathing in a bit of Harry’s scent, and lips softly at the delicate skin there before moving down to give Harry’s chest and stomach a more thorough exploration. He maps his path over planes of muscle with lips and fingers, the occasional flicker of tongue when he gets to a spot that makes Harry’s breath hitch. It’s only when he gets to the hem of Harry’s trousers, and can’t ignore the obvious evidence of Harry’s interest, that he stops and sits back to take a moment’s rest and recover his nerve.

Harry is observing him closely and unabashed, and Eggsy feels himself wilt a little under the scrutiny, but a moment later Harry sits up and pulls Eggsy into another distracting filthy kiss. Harry’s damnably calm hands quickly pop the buttons on Eggsy’s own jacket and shove the fabric from the omega’s shoulders, and a moment later Harry breaks away from the kiss to leave a trail of wet, suckling kisses along Eggsy’s neck. Eggsy feels his breath stutter when Harry’s mouth settles over the scent gland at his throat, but Harry barely pauses before pulling away to peel Eggsy’s shirt off of his frame leaving them equally naked.

Whatever thoughts Eggsy might have as to what to do next flee with a groan when strong hands tug his hips closer and he can feel the swell of Harry’s cock against his own. He’s immediately torn between the instinctual rush of lust and intimidation at Harry’s sheer size.

“Don’t think too much,” Harry purrs and nuzzles against Eggsy’s throat.

“Easy for you to say,” Eggsy huffs and struggles a bit against Harry’s grip but it only causes a delicious friction to race from his cock up his spine to short circuit his brain and flood him with hormones. Eggsy feels completely lax and lost for a moment, and Harry takes advantage to shift Eggsy so the omega is laying back on the bed.

Eggsy considers protesting at first, but Harry is on him in a second; he’s not quite holding him in place, but pushing Harry away is the last thing on his mind when the alpha starts lavishing Eggsy’s body with soft, teasing touches and kisses. Eggsy has never really considered things like his ears or his wrists to be erogenous zones, but he can’t help but feel a little breathless as Harry takes his time exploring and offering low murmurs of encouragement every time Eggsy makes a sound. Eggsy lets out a startled gasp followed by a groan when Harry’s tongue flicks teasingly over one of Eggsy’s nipples before sucking the tender flesh into his mouth, and despite the pleasure Eggsy feels a wave of panic wash over him.

“Stop, please,” Eggsy rasps and pushes at Harry’s shoulders.

Without hesitation, Harry sits up and gives Eggsy a moment to collect himself.

“Something wrong?” Harry asks.

Eggsy shakes his head and gestures downward to wear his cock is straining against his trousers.

“It’s alright to come, you know. That is rather the point,” Harry assures him with a wry grin.

“Well yeah, but… I mean isn’t it a bit soon?”

“It’s completely normal for someone young and less experienced. In fact, I was rather hoping to get you to come at least once before we move on.”

“Why?” Eggsy asks, genuinely confused as to why he isn’t expected to wait.

“A number of reasons. Most importantly, penetration is easier when your partner is already relaxed.”

Eggsy wrinkles his nose at the rather clinical explanation.

“You did ask,” Harry laughs.

“Guess so,” Eggsy replies with a grin of his own as he feels slightly less on edge.

Without taking his eyes off of Eggsy’s, Harry reaches for Eggsy’s trousers and hesitates at the hem, fingers lightly skimming along the omega’s hips until Eggsy nods his assent.

Harry makes quick work of the laces and carefully pulls the garment off, and Eggsy can’t help but feel equal measures relieved and nervous when his cock is finally free from the confines of his trousers. He feels heat rush well… everywhere under Harry’s gaze as the alpha stares down at him with a look Eggsy can only describe as ravenous. Despite that, Harry is surprisingly gentle as he settles in place over Eggsy and pulls him into a devouring kiss. Eggsy can practically taste Harry’s desire on his lips and tongue, but the man makes no move to touch Eggsy until the younger man hesitantly rocks his hips pleading silently for attention. Harry catches on though, and releases Eggsy’s mouth and reaches for one of the vials on the bedside table. Satisfied with its contents, Harry shifts downward, pushes Eggsy’s knees a little further apart and wraps one hand around Eggsy’s cock giving a few teasing strokes. The omega feels his face heat with equal parts shame and arousal, and he covers his eyes in the crook of his arm as he feels an unmistakable puff of warm breath against his skin.

Eggsy lets out an undignified half yelp at the first playful flicks of tongue against the head of his prick.

“Everything alright?” Harry asks, and Eggsy lifts his arm to chance a glance down. Eggsy’s eyes widen almost comically as Harry leans forward and licks his cock from the base all the way to the tip.

Eggsy nods and manages some sort of affirmative sound before he has to hide his face again because if he keeps looking at this handsome alpha, perfectly content to lay between his thighs and service him, he’s going to spontaneously combust or something. Not looking doesn’t necessarily help though because Eggsy can still feel and hear, and Eggsy has never felt anything like Harry’s lips around the head of his cock suckling and teasing the slit with his tongue while Harry’s hand strokes over the rest of his length. Every so often Harry will take a little more of Eggsy’s cock in his mouth, taking his time to savor the feeling and taste and ease Eggsy into the sensations as much as he can without overstimulating him.

Going by the rapid panting and small, half-smothered noises Eggsy is making, there’s not much he can do about that last bit. Harry’s mouth releases Eggsy’s cock with a wet pop earning a small whining protest. Harry presses a few sloppy kisses to the inside of the young man’s thighs in apology, occasionally sucking against the thick corded muscles there until he leaves a few marks behind. Harry takes a moment to surreptitiously glance at Eggsy’s entrance, already shiny with slick and Harry can already catch the scent of it and pheromones. Harry gives Eggsy’s cock a few more strokes before he slips both of his hands down to spread Eggsy’s cheeks a little further.

Eggsy whimpers and his hips twitch involuntarily as he feels the cool air against his hole, and a moment later Harry licks a wet stripe along the cleft all the way up to Eggsy’s balls.

“Harry!” Eggsy wheezes and Harry doesn’t relent as he laps at Eggsy’s entrance seeking more of that musky flavor, relishing the taste of a responsive omega. Eggsy’s fingers claw at the sheets and his thighs twitch as he tries desperately not to thrust back against Harry’s face, but the thought goes out the window when Harry tightens his hold on Eggsy’s arse and eases his tongue past clenching muscle and inside Eggsy. Eggsy groans and pushes for more and Harry is only too happy to oblige, thrusting his tongue in and out a few times before retreating to circle and suckle at Eggsy’s hole.

While Eggsy is thoroughly distracted, Harry fumbles around until he can find the vial he set aside earlier. A moment later he uncaps it one-handed and spills some of the oil inside over his fingers, uncaring as some of it drips on the sheets below. Harry is loath to abandon his current ministrations, but he gives Eggsy’s hole one last lick and leans forward to take Eggsy’s cock in his mouth again. He wastes no time in taking as much of Eggsy’s length as he can as he pushes a slick finger inside Eggsy’s entrance and crooks his finger to find the spot he’s looking for.

“Fuck!” Eggsy shouts, and Harry feels the younger man’s cock pulse as he comes down Harry’s throat and the alpha swallows obligingly, continuing to work Eggsy open with his fingers until he’s spent.

Harry lets Eggsy’s cock slip from his mouth and licks up the last few traces of come, and Eggsy groans and twitches at the sensation, still in the aftershocks of his orgasm.

“That’s a dirty trick, Harry,” Eggsy grumbles when he finally catches his breath again.

“All the best ones are,” Harry purrs, and crawls back up the bed and rests his head on top of Eggsy’s chest, careful not to crush him.

“So are you planning to mark me now? Or does that come later?”

“Mark you?” Harry asks.

“Yeah? You know…” Eggsy trails off gesturing at the base of his neck where an alpha or omega’s bonding and scent glands lay.

“You expected me to...” Harry trails off, looking slightly uncomfortable at the thought.

“Well you have to. I mean we're supposed to be mates right?” Eggsy asks, all good humor left over in the afterglow now rapidly dissipating. “We already signed our lives away to each other so it's not like we can back out.”

“But it's unseemly.”

“What?”

“Nobility don't do that here, most certainly not the king,” Harry explains with a derisive snort. “It's only for the common. It has connotations of ownership.”

“And us being married doesn't?” Eggsy snarls and pushes at Harry’s shoulders, and Harry immediately lets Eggsy out from under him so the omega can sit up and be on even ground.

“I have to live with you here,” Eggsy adds. “I have to wear your ring and that stupid northern frippery, and you think you have a right to say people will suspect I own you?”

“Now that’s unfair, Eggsy. Neither of us wanted this but—”

Whatever else Harry is going to say dies in his throat as Eggsy’s expression, which had been so open and vulnerable earlier, turns cold and passive.

“This really is just all political for you, innit? Well fucking delightful. Let’s just get this over with, alright?” Eggsy sighs and tries to swallow his disappointment. Of course, he isn’t going to be Harry’s mate; he’s just a baby factory to Harry, like he is to all other alphas.

“No,” Harry growls. “Not until you tell me what’s so offensive about it.”

“Because you don’t see me as an equal!” Eggsy spits.

Harry stares back at Eggsy, mouth agape in stunned confusion. “What? Of course I do.”

“You know why I think your nobles don’t like those marks? Because they go both ways. They mark you as mates; a bonded pair,” Eggsy explains, unconsciously gesturing between himself and Harry. “And I think a bunch of fucking jumped up alphas—so convinced of their own superiority—can’t stand the thought of having an omega equal.”

Tense silence stretches out between them as Harry tries to process Eggsy’s accusation, and Eggsy waits impatiently for a response.

“Is that what it means to you?” Harry asks finally, his tone soft and unsure as he looks at the omega. His omega.

“You not marking me feels an awful lot like those alphas that make sure not to mark some stable boy they fuck and drop,” Eggsy admits, his eyes stinging a little, but he refuses to cry in front of Harry.

“No, Eggsy. No. I would never mean it that way,” Harry croons, and pulls Eggsy into an embrace, desperately stroking along the omega’s nape and spine to soothe him. “You’re my husband, my omega, and I won’t leave you feeling lesser for stupid courtly propriety.”

Eggsy tenses a little in Harry’s arms, fingers curling unsurely into loose fists against the alpha’s chest as he processes Harry’s words.

“I’ve already scandalized those idiots by marrying you,” Harry adds. “What’s a few raised eyebrows if it pleases my mate?”

“You really mean that?” Eggsy chokes and dares to look up at his alpha. “Even though our marriage isn’t—was political?”

“I wouldn’t have you doubtful and unhappy for the rest of our marriage, political or not.”

“So how exactly does it work? The marking,” Eggsy asks, looking a little ashamed of his own ignorance. “Everyone says it’s supposed to be instinctual, but I don’t know what instinct they mean.”

“We’ll work our way up to it. There’s still a ways to go yet tonight,” Harry replies.

Eggsy silently nods in reply, knowing that he’s undone half the work of Harry’s efforts so far, and they still aren’t any closer to being properly mated. He considers for a moment trying to kiss Harry again, but decides against it. It’s not what either of them want right now, and he knows that if he allows himself to be distracted, he’ll lose his nerve.

“Can I?” he asks as he tentatively reaches for Harry’s trousers.

The alpha nods in reply, and Eggsy tries not to fumble too much when Harry lays back and lifts his hips to make it easier for him. Still it takes Eggsy two tries to get the laces undone and he takes a moment to steel his resolve as he tugs the trousers off and drops them to the floor.

Harry lays defenseless and completely unashamed, allowing Eggsy to look and touch as he pleases, and Eggsy finds something exhilarating and terrifying about the expanse of naked flesh before him. He’s careful as he slides his hands over the soft skin of Harry’s hips and thighs, skirting around the alpha’s impressive cock, slightly bigger than his own and plump at the base, though his knot hasn’t properly swelled yet. Eggsy looks up to meet Harry’s gaze before wrapping his fingers around it and giving a few experimental strokes, learning the weight and feel of it while Harry purrs contentedly. He can smell the rush of pheromones, slightly spicy and sharp as opposed to his own sweet scent, and is mildly embarrassed when his body responds in kind.

A few moments later, Harry finally pushes Eggsy’s hand away and sits up and pulls Eggsy into his lap once again. The younger man automatically grasps Harry’s shoulders for balance.

“Sorry,” Eggsy mumbles, but Harry shakes his head and presses a soft, chaste kiss to Eggsy’s lips.

Then, Harry reaches for another vial on the table, unwilling to look for the first, lost somewhere amongst the bedding. When he finds what he’s looking for, he uncaps it and once again pours some oil over his fingers.

“Do you need that?” Eggsy asks. “I mean shouldn’t I—”

“Just a precaution. Better too much slick than too little, trust me,” Harry replies, and Eggsy squirms as Harry reaches down to circle his fingers around Eggsy’s entrance.

When the first of Harry’s fingers works its way inside again with only minimal resistance, Eggsy releases a breath he didn’t realize he was even holding. His body is obviously still somewhat relaxed from Harry’s previous attentions, even if Eggsy feels like he cocked everything up by getting needy and defensive.

“There you go overthinking this again,” Harry murmurs, and brushes his finger against that spot that makes Eggsy groan and rock his hips back against Harry’s hand.

“Thinkin’ isn’t gonna be a problem if you do that again,” Eggsy rumbles, shamelessly spreading his legs a little wider, and Harry takes the opportunity to slip another finger in.

For a while, he thrusts those fingers in and out, brushing over Eggsy’s prostate occasionally and taking advantage of those already relaxed muscles. It takes next to no time to have Eggsy taking three fingers effortlessly, and Harry moans into the omega’s neck when, finally, Eggsy’s hormones kick in and he’s wet enough to start dripping slick all over Harry’s fingers and down his hand. Eggsy responds with an equally heartfelt groan as he slams his hips back, trying to take more only to be denied when Harry finally pulls those fingers out leaving him empty.

“Lay back and pull your knees to your chest,” Harry orders, his voice husky and desperate in a way that has Eggsy complying immediately.

Eggsy lays down, spreading his legs as Harry asked, and has to bite back a moan as he watches Harry stroke his own cock with those slick coated fingers he’d just fucked Eggsy with. A moment later, Harry stops stroking and reaches forward. He grinds his palm against Eggsy’s entrance and leans down to suckle at the omega’s balls, and Eggsy cries out as another gush of slick escapes at the sensation. Harry gives a satisfied hum against Eggsy’s skin and sits up to settle Eggsy’s legs over his shoulders. He wraps his slick covered hand around Eggsy’s length, giving smooth strokes as he pushes forward into Eggsy in one long slow motion that makes Eggsy throw his head back with a whine.

Harry’s instincts scream for him to slam into the yielding body of his soon-to-be mate as he feels the quivering pulse of wet heat around his cock, but he settles into a slower pace. He thrusts his hips in a motion that, after a few tries, Eggsy learns to match flawlessly; Harry can already feel the swelling of his knot and focuses on bringing Eggsy closer.

“More,” Eggsy grunts, and he’s not sure exactly what more he’s asking for, but Harry seems to understand because he tips forward practically crushing Eggsy under him and the angle lines up deep and perfect. Eggsy cries out and clings to Harry as the alpha’s expanding knot pushes in and out, teasing him. He knows that at some point, Harry’s going to be trapped inside, but for now the alpha fucks him on that knot, stretching him in a way that doesn’t quite hurt and has him constantly twitching, slick dripping from his hole.

A few minutes later and Harry surges forward, burying his knot inside Eggsy and grinding against the omega’s prostate with a roll of his hips, and Eggsy cries out and comes again, his body clenching around his alpha’s knot as he feels Harry’s come filling him up.

Harry growls and nuzzles against Eggsy’s neck, and Eggsy can only register a sharp pain that has him shuddering in pleasure and impossibly squeezing more come from Harry’s cock. Distantly, Eggsy realizes he’s sinking his own teeth into his alpha’s exposed neck. The flush of hormones as he laps the blood from the wound centers him in some bone deep way that he can’t understand. A moment later, when he lets go, Harry tilts his his head back and pulls Eggsy in for a blood smeared kiss.

* * *

Come late morning, Eggsy wakes sore and slightly disoriented, tucked up against Harry’s chest with their legs entangled and with the alpha’s arm securely wrapped around his waist, holding him in place. Something in him gets a visceral pleasure out of being this close to his mate after their bonding, but Eggsy feels a chill up his spine as his mind rebels. He carefully extricates himself from Harry’s hold and stands up with a languorous stretch, ignoring the pain that shoots through his spine and legs in protest. He’s had worse in battles before. He isn’t going to be slowed by something as ridiculous as his alpha’s cock.

Eggsy glances around the room, grabs one of the robes left for them, and slips the cool silk over his frame. It doesn’t do much to hide anything, but that’s rather the point he supposes, given that most newly bonded mates spend days around each other rather intimately. Eggsy feels his skin itch with the various dried unpleasantness that he’d missed during cleanup last night and desperately longs for a bath. He peeks over his shoulder at Harry who is still asleep. The alpha’s brow is furrowed as his hand grasps at the sheets where Eggsy had lain, and Eggsy decides it’s safe to make his way to the private bath in their shared suite. Eggsy turns the taps and marvels at it for a moment as hot water fills the tub; another luxury Eggsy never had back home, where pipes often froze making extensive plumbing impractical.

He selects a small bottle of scented oil and settles into the water, to relax his muscles briefly and to scrub himself clean, fighting back against his instincts that are howling at the loss of his alpha’s scent on him. It’s better to take care of it now than let his and Harry’s animal hindbrains ruin Eggsy’s plan. Eggsy would love to luxuriate in the bath for longer, but he keeps his cleaning perfunctory and shortly after, he dries off, dresses back in his ridiculous robe, and braces himself to beard the lion in his den as it were.

He’s unsurprised to find Harry awake when he slips back into the bedroom, although the alpha seems contented and relaxed in a bone deep way that bodes well for Eggsy given the news he’s about to deliver. Eggsy settles at the edge of the bed, just out of Harry’s reach; the move doesn’t escape the other’s attention.

“I—” Eggsy starts and pauses, chewing his lip in indecision for a moment, still unsure how the other will react. It's not uncommon after all for an alpha to feel like they own their omega. 

“Eggsy, are you alright?” Harry asks and tentatively reaches forward before deciding against it, and that hesitation on Harry’s part solidifies Eggsy’s resolve.

“I don't think we should do this again,” Eggsy tries again and looks at the floor as opposed to his alpha. “Not for a while at least.”

“You’re not hurt are you?” Harry asks, genuine concern lacing his voice as he sits up now to look Eggsy over.

“I'm fine,” Eggsy replies with a shrug. “Really, I'm only a bit sore and you're not that tough. So don't think you broke me or somethin’.”

“Right. I'm sorry it wasn't—That is…” Harry stumbles through his words, looking slightly ashamed, and Eggsy catches on a moment later.

“You were fine. Better than, really,” Eggsy admits with a blush, even as he gives Harry a teasing smirk. “Not about to go strokin’ your ego though.”

“Perish the thought,” Harry sighs, although Eggsy can see the pure relief in his features. “But if everything was... satisfactory, I'm not sure I understand your hesitation.”

“I don't want to be pregnant,” Eggsy blurts, and reflexively curls in on himself, unable to look at his mate. It's the ultimate shame for an omega to not be ready and wanting to provide their alpha with children.

“I see.”

“I know that's the whole reason you married me and I know it's my duty, but I don't even know you,” Eggsy explains. “I mean, well I know you but not as—”

“So you would like some time,” Harry says, voice even and not at all demanding.

“Please?” Eggsy says, voice small and vulnerable in a way that he hates, but he knows that his alpha won’t find threatening when Eggsy is no doubt challenging every last one of his instincts. “I know it's not...expected. I just don't... I can't trust anyone here. Soon enough though, alright?”

Harry considers Eggsy for a moment, before relenting.

“Well you were an enemy to our people until recently. I hardly expect you not to feel defensive,” Harry replies. “You have my word that I won't touch you in such a manner until you’re willing.”

“You'd actually do that?” Eggsy asks, turning to actually hold his alpha’s gaze for the first time in the past few minutes.

“I just said as much, didn't I?” Harry asks, but the soft smile on his lips is enough for Eggsy to know the alpha isn’t hurt by his reaction.

“I just... I thought it would be harder to get you to agree, if at all. Most alphas—”

“Eggsy, don't concern yourself with most alphas,” Harry says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I'm not going to compare you to some omega archetype. This bond is yours and mine alone.”

“Right,” Eggsy murmurs, his hand unconsciously moving to touch the mark at his own neck. “Just us.”

* * *

The rest of their honeymoon, if it could be called that, is spent in their apartments or occasionally other parts of the palace where they can be in each other’s presence enough to scent or see the other while their bond settles. After the first night together, the two of them reach an unspoken agreement that each of them will sleep in their own quarters, and the bedroom of the shared suite remains unused. It rankles a bit at Harry’s instincts to not have his mate close each night where he can curl protectively around him, but he distracts himself from these emotions by tending to what matters of state he can. Eggsy, on the other hand, seems to be flourishing under the independence Harry has refused to quell, and takes to caring for the new puppy that has finally come to live with them.

Once their hormones settle and the two of them are finally comfortable outside of each other’s presence for most of the day, Harry returns to his duties. On the first day that he officially holds court after his absence, there are more than a few contemptuous gazes at his neck where the edge of the mark Eggsy gave him is visible above his collar. Of course, there’s only one member of the court who would have the nerve to say anything openly, and Harry is not disappointed.

“I didn’t realize such brutality was coming back into fashion,” Chester sneers, although at least he doesn’t dare point at the mark.

Harry feels his hackles rise at the comment, but he’s had years of practice dismissing such accusations.

“It’s only brutality when one or more parties aren’t consenting. I didn’t realize it was that foreign of a concept,” Harry says, voice smooth as silk, looking to all the world completely unruffled.

Chester purses his lips tightly and Harry affects his most innocent smile while others around the room carefully avert their eyes from the king’s neck.

“Now, does anyone have actual matters vital to the state to bring to my attention?” Harry asks.

The immediate shift in tension amongst his council is enough to satisfy Harry for a moment as they actually set to work.

Harry leaves Eggsy to his own devices for the next few weeks of their marriage, letting the omega settle into his new environment. Which, according to Merlin and his various trusted minions spying around the palace, mostly involves Eggsy spending time exercising in the training yards and reading up on history in the library. Harry can’t deny that it pleases him immensely to have a mate invested in such pursuits, but it further solidifies his own decision to introduce Eggsy into diplomatic ventures sooner rather than later.

* * *

“Holding court?” Eggsy asks, wrinkling his nose a little at the suggestion. Not that he expected to remain idle forever, but it’s still something of a surprise when his alpha approaches him about attending to duties as the king’s husband.

“What’s next? Sitting around with old biddies and talking over tea?” he adds, leaning against the door frame, not presuming to actually enter Harry’s rooms.

“Well, eventually you probably will have to do some entertaining,” Harry answers as he changes behind a divider, “but for now I was expecting something along the lines of considering minor state affairs.”

“This will go well,” Eggsy bites sarcastically.

“The more they come to expect your presence at my side, the sooner they’ll come to accept you,” Harry replies as he steps out, covered in a modest robe. “Or the sooner it blows up in our faces. It’s been a while since I’ve experienced a proper assassination attempt.”

“See, when you say things like that, I really don’t want to go,” Eggsy laughs, and leaves Harry to ready for bed himself.

Of course, he ends up going. He feels like a ponce wearing gaudy light northern garments, but Harry assures him he looks fine. He supposes he does, given that everyone else is dressed much the same, but Eggsy longs for the more practical clothing of home, where they were more concerned about actually dealing with their problems than impressing other self-important twats into doing it for them.

It takes Eggsy all of two seconds to pinpoint the main players in the court, and identify the one grouse who is the ringleader of all the derisive upstarts; an old, crotchety alpha who has the nerve to look at him with open distaste. Eggsy further ensconces himself at Harry’s side in retaliation, and to his credit, Harry doesn’t act as if the action is at all atypical or unwelcome.

Most of the proceedings are rather dull affairs that have nothing to do with Eggsy after the reintroduction to key players he met at his and Harry’s wedding. Although he files away the name of the upstart, Chester King. Obviously unhappy to be forced to show respect to the king’s consort, Chester’s greeting is formal and stiff, and the man purses his lips in annoyance when Eggsy lays on the charm to appeal to his audience. Still, Eggsy isn’t exactly paying rapt attention until Harry actually speaks directly to him.

“Gary, I would have you oversee the training of our troops during this winter, if you're agreeable,” Harry says, calmly but with the ring of authority in his tone befitting that of his status as king and not just Eggsy’s husband.

“That—Of course, but why me?” Eggsy asks, not daring to actually contradict Harry in front of the others, but he hadn’t expected anything of the sort. Apparently, neither had the rest of the court, given their uncomfortable glances and shocked expressions.

“You’re an accomplished fighter in your own right,” Harry explains, as though he hasn’t suggested anything out of the ordinary. “And your familiarity with our weaknesses could be instrumental in helping our soldiers improve.”

“That's preposterous!” cries one of the older, traditional alphas at the table, and that’s all it takes for more dissent to open.

A chorus of outrage and confused mutters arise, and Eggsy glances between Harry and the others, ready to fight at a moment’s notice should the need arise.

“You can't let your omega run around ordering our men about just because he has you by the balls,” spits Harry’s cousin Margaret, an alpha in her own right, and her tone ice cold.

“Mind yourself and how you speak to me, cousin, or I won't hesitate to remove you,” Harry replies, his tone just as even as before, but Eggsy can smell the bitter edge of threat to his mate’s scent. “Need I remind you we lost the war to my omega?”

“Because you surrendered!” Chester snaps, having obviously waited for his moment to strike.

“To keep our men from being slaughtered!” Harry shouts, and it’s the first time Eggsy has heard him raise his voice outside of battle.

Harry’s voice and posture have the chilling effect the man was looking for, because he settles a moment later, stern and effortlessly commanding as he continues.

“We were dying by the hour because of Gary's ability to train his soldiers to exploit our weaknesses. I will have that weakness remedied regardless of your opinions.”

Although it’s clear that some of the nobles still have objections, they keep them to themselves for now.

Later, when they find themselves back in their chambers for the evening, Eggsy and Harry have a moment to speak privately. Eggsy wastes no time in inquiring about the alphas who oppose them, specifically Chester.

“He's a financial backer, mostly, with delusions of grandeur because his son married my cousin,” Harry sighs as he lounges in one of the overstuffed chairs with Eggsy’s pup JB.

Eggsy nods and mills about their shared space, picking at a light supper that has been brought up.

“Sounds like a prick. Why don't you just—” Eggsy pauses and makes a quick motion with both hands, as though snapping someone’s neck.

Harry huffs out a bitter laugh, because it’s certainly not the first time he’s considered it.

“He is quite the prick,” Harry agrees. “Unfortunately, it's hard to know how many assassins are on his or Margaret’s payroll. Trying to hire one could prove difficult and Chester isn’t the sort to honor a duel.”

“Eh, I could do it for you,” Eggsy suggests as he takes a seat in the chair across from Harry.

“I'm not asking you to do my dirty work Eggsy. I'll resolve the matter in time,” Harry sighs, and that’s all it takes for Eggsy to know that topic is closed.

“So, were you serious about me training your troops?”

“Of course. I wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise.”

“You know that’s pretty dangerous; puttin’ your army in the hands of your enemy.”

“You’re hardly my enemy now, and Gawain and a few others will still be running the military day to day. It would be a shame for your skills to go to waste just because you’re married.”

“You're somethin’ else, Harry,” Eggsy murmurs, and the smile that he offers to Harry is genuine and gracious, and leaves Harry feeling only a tad breathless.

* * *

In the months following, Harry takes to observing Eggsy's work as the omega passes on his skills to Harry’s veteran soldiers and the influx of new recruits alike. Harry never imposes himself in the training yard itself where he'd be a distraction, but usually he can find a quiet spot on the balcony above, not far from his own study. Eggsy seems to have some sort of sense for when Harry is near though, because he usually gives a brief glance and a smile his way before going back to work. Their time together has been amicable enough between them. Eggsy is exactly the sort of terror Harry expected him to be when he has to entertain the court, but the time Eggsy spends working with the soldiers, and now Harry’s military advisers, gives Eggsy a productive outlet for his talents and energy.

Not that Harry would mind having that energy directed at himself once in a while. His supposition that his instinctual behaviors would settle over time couldn’t be more wrong it seems. It doesn’t help that he’s gotten to know Eggsy as a vivacious, clever, and caring young man who seems utterly uninterested in Harry beyond their political duties and the occasional light touches or fleeting kisses that are for Harry to save face in front of others.

“Still pining, I see,” calls Merlin, and Harry snaps his gaze away from where Eggsy is correcting a new recruit’s shield work.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Harry replies a touch too quickly.

“Standing around gazing wistfully at your husband seems an awful lot like pining.”

“Hardly,” Harry snorts, and Merlin comes to stand next to him on the balcony, observing what Harry sees with only remote interest. To be honest, it’s slightly nostalgic given that a few months ago they were in a position much similar to this one, arguing over whether or not Harry should even marry Eggsy.

Interesting how much has changed since then; and somehow not at all.

“I'm just taking a break and thought I'd see how my troops are shaping up,” Harry adds, but he knows Merlin isn’t buying it.

“Ah. Staring wistfully at the other lads then? What would your husband say?” Merlin chides and raises his hands to call, “Oi, Eg—”

Harry slaps a hand over Merlin’s mouth before he gets a proper word out. “That's quite enough, you,” Harry growls without any actual malice.

Merlin raises his arms in defeat, laughing the entire time behind Harry’s palm. After a moment, Harry relents and lets him go.

“I have to say, you’ve really done it this time, Harry,” Merlin snickers. “Seriously, you managed to not only marry—but fall in love with—the only omega on the entire continent who can kick your ass and doesn't find you all that impressive.”

“Inspiring as always, Merlin. Thank you.”

* * *

“Pull your shield closer!” Eggsy growls for what seems like the millionth time. “A bloody lot of good it's doing swinging around out here.”

“I thought the whole point was to make sure I don't get hit,” the recruit all but whines in reply.

Eggsy huffs and wanders to the nearby weapon stand. He selects a mace and hefts it against the shield with a resounding clang that reverberates through a recruit’s arm; not enough to damage but enough to sting.

“Can't block shit if someone breaks your arm, can you?” Eggsy spits, and pushes the startled recruit’s shield into position, explaining his corrections. “You need the strength of your body behind the shield. Too close they can close in for the kill, too far and you have no stopping power.”

“Look at this. Seems our Prince Consort is in a bit of a _mood_ today,” calls a voice that Eggsy could happily live the rest of his life never hearing again.

“That's enough for now Elyan. Keep working at it, alright?” Eggsy sighs and dismisses his pupil before things can get ugly. Sure enough, most of the other trainees are pretending to not pay attention to the drama about to unfold.

It took less than a month in the palace for Eggsy to make his first enemy: Margaret's son Charlie. Apparently, the man expected to one day be King if Eggsy didn’t come along and presumably cock up his succession by whelping a few of Harry’s brats. Not that Eggsy is up the duff. Harry's been true to his word and not so much as looked at Eggsy in a lecherous manner, but it’s a particularly arduous uphill battle to change everyone's perspective on his role here. Charlie seems to enjoy taking out his frustration by lording Eggsy’s married omega status over him, and implying that Eggsy’s work is laughable and undermined by his gender.

“Charlie, you finally showing up for training?” Eggsy asks, and sets the mace he’s holding back into the weapon stand, lest he bash Charlie’s skull in with it.

“Don't be absurd,” Charlie scoffs, and his two tag along friends follow Charlie’s example like the flunkies they are. “I've been trained by actual knights a lot more renowned than our king’s pet omega.”

Eggsy feels a rush of anger at the term, as though he’s somehow Harry’s property. It’s a little unsettling because it’s not the first time he’s heard it, but Eggsy feels particularly short fused today. He settles for sniping back at Charlie instead.

“Don't suppose you could pull your weight then, and shape this lot up?” Eggsy asks.

“Excuse me? Pull my weight?” Charlie huffs.

“Well if you're so educated by renowned swordsmen, surely you can give lessons. I'm sure you were on the front lines?”

“I was needed back home,” Charlie says, puffing up with misplaced pride and condescension.

“Oh? I thought the King’s advisors ran things while he was leading his troops. Didn't realize you were one, as I never see you at court.”

Sure enough, Charlie’s face contorts into a pinched expression.

“It's couldn't possibly be... No. You would never be scared, would you?” Eggsy asks with faux nonchalance, knowing Charlie will rise to the bait.

“You will not talk to me like that!” Charlie spits, his face turning almost purple with rage.

“Like what?” Eggsy asks.

“Like you're somehow better than me! Just because you wormed your way into our monarchy—”

“Ooh, once again the harlot omega seizes control through someone else's dick,” Eggsy snaps.

“I highly doubt that,” Charlie huffs, and his mouth splits into a cruel grin. “There's no reason for an alpha to let an omega out of his bed unless you're just that terrible at pleasing him.”

“And this is why no omega wants to get within twenty feet of you, talking shit like that,” Eggsy hisses. His fists clench at his sides as every instinct tells him that this sniveling little prick is a threat to Eggsy and his alpha.

“Or maybe it’s not that you can’t please him. I suppose he is getting ol—”

Whatever Charlie was going to say is cut off when Eggsy’s fist slams into Charlie’s jaw with a sickening crack, whipping the alpha’s head to the side causing him to stumble to the ground.

“Say whatever you want about me, but you’re not about to go insulting my mate,” Eggsy spits. “Get up and fight.”

“What the hell?” Charlie cries, and brings his hand up to tenderly cup his jaw as he gets back to his feet. “You really are some kind of savage.”

“Oh right, I’m supposed to slap you, aren’t I? Sorry, my northern manners aren’t always up to par,” Eggsy adds, and proceeds to smack Charlie with an open palm.

“You’re going to regret that,” Charlie growls, and lunges at Eggsy.

* * *

Of course, it’s in that moment that Merlin relents in his teasing of Harry and glances down into the courtyard. He does a quick double take to be sure.

“Oh that's not good,” Merlin groans.

“What?” Harry asks, and follows Merlin’s gaze to Eggsy. “Shit.”

“He's gonna kill him,” Merlin hisses, and a moment later Harry is already gone.

Merlin watches in horrified fascination as Harry doesn’t even bother with running through the corridors to the outside. Instead, the man vaults over the balcony, scales down the side of the palace, and sprints across the yard.

Eggsy blocks a jab from Charlie and grabs the man’s opposite arm when he tries to swing for a punch. Within a fraction of a second, Eggsy swoops in close, turning his back to his opponent. He pushes back with his hips and pulls that arm up and over his shoulder, sending Charlie flying over his shoulder and into the ground in front of him with a satisfying thud. Eggsy keeps his eyes trained on Charlie, the rest of the recruits too terrified to step in between.

“Eggsy!” He hears Harry call over the roar of blood pumping, and it’s only that which keeps him from lashing out more violently when he feels a strong hold pulling him away from Charlie’s prone form. Merlin shows up a moment later and checks on Charlie, who is wheezing horribly as he tries to breathe after Eggsy knocked the wind out of him.

“You should let me finish this, Harry,” Eggsy growls, struggling to escape Harry’s grasp.

“Eggsy, I can’t let you do that. He’s still family,” Harry says, and pulls Eggsy more tightly against him.

“He’s relentless! Always going on about me being your pet, and then he started in on you and I won’t have it, Harry.”

“I understand, Eggsy, but you have to stop,” Harry soothes, and leans forward to bury his face against Eggsy’s neck, desperate to try and soothe him somehow. It seems to work because a moment later the tension in Eggsy’s muscles dissipates and he relaxes back against him, unusually pliant in his hold.

Merlin has Charlie back on his feet now, only somewhat worse for wear, given that Eggsy could have turned him into a smear on the ground had they not intervened.

“You need to teach that beast some respect,” Charlie cries in outrage when he finally feels collected.

Harry feels Eggsy tense in his arms again, but Harry keeps him still.

“And you aren’t one to speak on the matter,” Harry says, his tone colder and more authoritative than most ever hear it, and Charlie is duly surprised. “My mate is Prince Consort and outranks you in every conceivable way, even as an omega. If you continue to harass him or question his status, he won’t be the one to kill you. Now clean yourself up and run along to your mother.”

Whatever smart remark Charlie might have remains stuck in the lad’s throat as his two friends finally slink out of hiding to help their friend inside.

“I think we’re done out here for the day,” Harry says to his mate.

* * *

Harry certainly didn’t expect the next few days to be easy, given the feathers ruffled by Eggsy’s actions. Still, he tries to minimize the consequences of Eggsy’s actions with varying results, given that Margaret and Chester are both out for blood, unimpressed by Harry’s dismissal that Charlie should know not to pick fights he can’t win. It comes as something of a disappointment that after a long day of dealing with those two, Harry takes his usual break on the balcony above the training yard and sees no sign of Eggsy anywhere. Which is odd in itself as he knows he saw Eggsy only last night, although he seemed more irritable than usual. Assuming that perhaps Eggsy is taking a break to spare the trainees his ire, Harry brushes the thought from his mind and cuts his break short in hopes of finishing his duties early.

It’s only a few hours later when Harry makes his way back to their rooms that he understands Eggsy’s recent erratic behavior. The obvious unease in a small scattering of nervous beta guards and servants in this wing of the palace catches his attention first, followed shortly by an unmistakable sweetness that assaults his nose when Harry nears his and Eggsy's chambers. Harry feels a shiver race down his spine as he tries to take in as little of the scent as possible, hoping to keep himself from lashing out at the servants whom are torn between their orders and their instincts to run from the alpha's territory.

“You there,” Harry calls to a young beta female, “send for Merlin. Tell him it's urgent. He'll know.”

The girl gives a sharp nod and scurries away, and Harry takes a moment to fortify himself before entering their chambers. As noticeable as the scent was outside, it's almost overwhelming within the rooms. Harry doesn't even realize he's moving until he strides through the empty shared apartment into his own room, unconsciously following the cloying burnt sugar sweetness that leaves his mouth watering.

Harry isn't quite sure what he expects but it certainly isn't the glorious sight that awaits him.

Eggsy, his gorgeous young omega, lays spread over Harry’s bed positively luxuriating in Harry's scent, if the deep sighing breaths are anything to go by. His head is tilted back and to the side, face half buried against Harry’s pillow, his spine arched and flexing, knees drawn up and wide apart as his toes curl into the sheets. Harry follows the lines of Eggsy’s arms down, past his flushed pink chest to their destination. Eggsy groans and his hips jerk up into the hand fisted tight around his cock, the other nestled between his spread cheeks, his slick dripping over the fingers sliding in and out of his hole with obscene wet noises.

Harry doesn't even register the growl that escapes him until Eggsy’s turns towards him and the omega looks directly at him, breath hitching on a choked whine.

“Harry!” Eggsy cries and tenses, slick pooling onto Harry's sheets and come spurting over Eggsy's belly, as though his alpha's presence alone is enough to satisfy him.

Harry chokes back a groan at the sight and there's no way he can ignore the effect it has. He's already as hard as he can ever recall being, and every instinct in his body is screaming at him to join his omega and take and take until neither of them can move. A second later Eggsy drops back down against the bed and trails the fingers of one hand up his body to his lips, and Harry feels like he’s going to break right then and there as Eggsy licks his own slick and come off those fingers, his eyes never leaving Harry’s. Harry is at Eggsy’s side a moment later, sitting on the bed and running his fingers through Eggsy’s hair, tucking his face against Eggsy’s exposed throat to wallow in that scent. Distantly, he thinks there’s something he should be doing, but it’s hard to think of anything.

A moment later, Harry finds himself pushed back against the headboard, and Eggsy straddles Harry’s lap, positively purring against him and snuffling at the mark on Harry’s own neck in return.

“Our bed didn’t smell right,” Eggsy sighs against Harry’s skin. “I couldn’t smell you at all.”

Harry doesn’t even know what to say in reply, because the only thought in his brain at the moment is that his omega needed him. Wants him.

Eggsy leans back a moment later and gives Harry a positively devious smirk as he grabs one of Harry’s hands with his own slick covered fingers and brings it up to his mouth, lapping and nipping at Harry’s fingertips before taking two into his mouth with a small groan. Harry moans in return and rocks his hips slightly against Eggsy’s as the younger man laves over his fingers with his tongue and sucks contentedly at the digits. Moments later, Eggsy releases Harry’s fingers with a loud, slick pop and leans forward a bit, using his hand around Harry’s wrist to guide those fingers down to where he most wants them. Harry groans and buries his face in Eggsy’s shoulder as Eggsy coos in delight when he pushes those fingers within himself and thrusts down against them.

Harry flexes his fingers in turn, causing Eggsy to squirm against him.

“Yes, Harry,” Eggsy croons, and hearing his name spoken in that tone is enough to force Harry to take a moment and look at his mate.

His mate who is practically breathless and flushed, his eyes glassy and dilated and unregistering of the world around them. Harry brings his unoccupied hand up to tilt Eggsy’s chin towards him to get a better look and Eggsy reflexively nuzzles into his palm. And that’s how he knows this isn’t his Eggsy. His Eggsy is brash and violent and a man worth earning the privilege to touch. This sweet submissive creature in his hands is simply the work of biology.

Harry quickly pulls his fingers out from Eggsy’s clutching warmth and ignores his mate’s whimpers of protest at the action. Because this isn’t what Eggsy would want, echoes the last fleeting bits of sanity in Harry's mind, and he latches onto the thought with unmatched ferocity. That's right. He and Eggsy had an agreement, and as much as their instincts might be overriding rational thought right now, Eggsy would never forgive him if he allowed this to progress further than it already has.

“Stop, Eggsy,” Harry growls as the omega fights to get something, anything he can from Harry.

“I don’t want to stop, Harry,” Eggsy whines.

“Trust me, Eggsy,” Harry sighs.

Eggsy redoubles his efforts and rocks his slick covered arse right against Harry’s cock, through the layers of his trousers. Harry gasps and gently pushes Eggsy off him to the side.

“Let’s just take a break for now, Eggsy,” Harry says.

“Why don’t you want me?” Eggsy asks, his voice hitching as though he might cry at any moment.

“Trust me, it’s not a matter of not wanting you. But I made you a promise I intend to keep,” Harry sighs and runs his fingers through Eggsy’s hair, trying to placate him. His own instincts are howling at him for rejecting his mate, and he can only imagine how it feels to Eggsy.

“Stupid promise, whatever it was.”

“And the fact that you don’t remember right now is part of the problem.”

There’s a distant knock at the door to their main apartment, and Harry is grateful that Merlin has finally arrived.

“Make them go away, Harry,” Eggsy whines.

“In a moment, love,” Harry replies, and extracts himself from the hold of his mate.

The walk to the door is painful and awkward, and Harry grimaces at the wet patch at the front of his trousers that is doing nothing but draw attention to his rather prominent erection. He answers the door anyway.

Merlin is standing outside with a tea tray and a pouch of herbs. He glances down and looks back to Harry with a knowing smirk, and Harry knows he’ll never live this down.

“Not a word, Merlin,” Harry growls. “Is this what I think it is?”

“Of course. You do realize he’s going to be furious when he wakes up alone.”

“Not as much as if I took advantage of him.”

“Right. Make sure to stay with him while he drinks a whole cup. It’s going to make him groggy, but he’ll remember everything at least,” Merlin replies and shoos Harry along.

“What’s that?” Eggsy asks, when Harry makes his way back to the bedroom and sets the tray down next to the bed.

“Some tea for you. Merlin said it will help you through this,” Harry replies.

“You know what else would help me through this,” Eggsy purrs and tries to pull Harry towards him, but is rebuffed.

“Later, Eggsy. Just drink this for now. It’s going to make you sleep through the worst of it,” Harry sighs and hands the cup to Eggsy.

“Fine,” Eggsy grumbles, sounding completely dejected, and downs the entire thing in a few swallows. “Happy?” he adds as he hands the cup to Harry.

“Ecstatic.”

With that, Harry lays next to Eggsy and pulls the omega up against his side, but pushes away his hands any time they wander. Eventually, the remedy kicks in and Eggsy falls asleep tucked up in Harry’s arms. Once Harry is sure that Eggsy won’t startle wake, he carefully slips out of his mate’s grasp and makes his way to his wardrobe for some fresh clothing. As he opens the door, he spots his favorite dressing gown that he often wears in the evenings and pulls it off the hook. He strides back over to Eggsy and sets about slipping the robe over his omega’s naked form, which is surprisingly easy as Eggsy only stirs to semi-consciousness and doesn’t bother to fight as Harry covers him. Satisfied that his mate is sufficiently covered, he adds a blanket as an afterthought and stokes the fire; his instincts demanding he make his mate as comfortable as possible.

Afterward, Harry redresses in some fresh clothes and grabs a few days’ worth of garments to take with him. Harry casts a glance over his shoulder at his sleeping mate before he leaves the bedroom, closing the door as he goes. It’s only as he is about to leave that he hears the clicking of claws on the stone floor behind him and spots JB, whom he hadn’t even thought of in all of the day’s chaos.

“I’m sorry, JB. I suppose you’re just going to have to make do with me for a few days,” Harry says, and waves for the dog to follow him out of the apartments.

* * *

Eggsy wakes a few hours later, alone and frustrated, with Harry nowhere in sight. He kicks the blanket off and notices the red fabric wrapped around him, warm and soft and smelling strongly of his mate. Eggsy curls in on himself and burrows his face into the fabric, trying to take what comfort he can to think clearly even when his instincts are screaming because his mate obviously doesn’t want him. Eventually, he sits up and notices the tea tray from earlier on the bedside table. A small pouch of herbs sits next to the pot with a little page of instructions in Merlin’s writing attached. Eggsy sighs in relief and braces himself for the days ahead.

A few days later, Eggsy finally emerges from Harry’s rooms more exhausted and lonely than he can remember feeling after any of his previous heats at home. Merlin’s tea was a godsend, allowing Eggsy to sleep through the worst of his symptoms whenever the need for his mate became too much. Eggsy takes the time to clean himself up a bit and put on a fresh change of clothes before instinct drives him to follow the unmistakable pull of Harry’s scent. As soon as Eggsy leaves the apartments, servants start bustling down the hall, no doubt under orders to catch up on the cleaning now that Eggsy is no longer vulnerable. Eggsy gives the servants and guards a polite smile, and his subconscious leads him through the corridors to Harry’s private study.

Eggsy stands outside the doors in trepidation, unsure what he even plans to do now that he’s here. He knocks, but there's no sound from within, so he cautiously opens the door and steps inside. His instincts haven't failed him and Harry is in fact in his study, fast asleep on the chaise. Eggsy feels a fondness swell in his chest as he takes in the sight of his alpha; his tousled hair, dark smudges under his eyes because although the chaise may be suitable for short naps, it's obvious it wasn't meant to be slept on for long. He hears a soft woof and sees JB nearby, laying on a pillow that Harry must have given up for him, and Eggsy smiles and puts a finger to his lips to shush the dog.

Eggsy quietly makes his way towards Harry and trusts that in the residual effects of his heat, his scent is strong enough to reassure Harry. The alpha doesn't even stir as Eggsy lays down in the sliver of space left on the lounge and ever so carefully runs his fingers through the Harry’s hair, gently massaging his scalp.

“You know, you're lucky I'm not an assassin,” Eggsy murmurs and places a tender kiss against Harry's temple.

Harry seems to agree because he mumbles something unintelligible and nuzzles against Eggsy's hand, and Eggsy feels his breath catch.

At some point, Eggsy must have fallen asleep because next thing he knows, he's waking up half slumped over Harry's body. The alpha seems to be just waking himself as he blinks groggily down at Eggsy.

“I must still be dreaming,” Harry grumbles and rubs at his eyes as though he expects Eggsy to disappear.

“Dream about me a lot, do ya?” Eggsy asks, unable to resist a little teasing.

“No, definitely awake, then. Hello Eggsy.” Harry yawns and scoots out from under Eggsy so that he can sit up and stretch.

“Afternoon, Harry.”

“Feeling better?” Harry asks, finally taking a moment to look Eggsy over.

Eggsy is sure he probably looks a mess, but Harry’s scrutiny doesn’t even phase him.

“I'm tired and a little clingy,” Eggsy replies with a shrug, and tucks himself a little closer to Harry’s side. “I'll live.”

“Glad to hear it.”

The next few minutes pass in silence as Harry cautiously accepts Eggsy’s affection, and Eggsy takes another moment to look Harry over.

“So have you been in here all week?” Eggsy asks. “You look tired.”

“More or less,” Harry replies with a great sigh. “I didn't trust myself to be around you and not take advantage, so I needed a distraction. I haven't slept much as a result.”

The answer causes Eggsy’s heart to clench in his chest. There are dozens of rooms in the castle where Harry could have slept comfortably, but instead he retreated to the familiarity of his study. Suffering silently because his omega was suffering without him. And in this moment, even in Harry’s somewhat haggard state, Eggsy can't imagine him as anything but extraordinary.

“Yeah I...” Eggsy pauses for a moment, trying to find his words. “Sorry for you know.”

“No need to apologize for nature, Eggsy,” Harry replies, and settles an arm around Eggsy’s shoulders, pulling his mate closer.

“I kind of just tried to use you,” Eggsy says, feeling his face heat with embarrassment as he remembers exactly what a mess he was.

“It’s an instinctual imperative. Trust me, I would not have minded a bit.”

“You still ran off though.”

“We had a deal. I wouldn't do anything to you without your consent and I already cocked that up,” Harry murmurs that last bit, shame written on his face as he turns to look at Eggsy. “For that I apologize.”

Eggsy blinks back in wonder for a moment at his alpha’s insecurity.

“You've been beating yourself up all week because I made you finger me?” Eggsy huffs with a startled laugh. “Pretty sure I'm the one who should be sorry.”

“Right… Well apology accepted I suppose?” Harry ventures.

“Likewise,” Eggsy replies with a smile and a shake of his head. “We're a mess you know that?”

“How so?”

“Well, neither of us can figure out how to deal with the political shit show that is our life. You've got an absolute shit omega runnin’ around starting fights,” Eggsy explains with a sly smile on his face. “And I've got the sweetest alpha in the whole world, who cares about my wants and needs first and is madly in love with me, but won't say it.”

Harry’s startled reaction is priceless, and Eggsy knows that the man must have thought he’d escaped Eggsy’s notice.

“And who told you that?” Harry asks, but doesn’t bother to deny it.

“I'd love to say you talk in your sleep or something. Really though, your cute constant pining and nearly pathological respect of my boundaries gives it away.”

“I suppose I'm not that subtle,” Harry relents. “You haven't mentioned your feelings on the matter, though.”

Eggsy smiles and slides a hand to the back of Harry’s neck and pulls him into a kiss. Nothing dramatic or passionate, but rather a gentle brush of lips in hopes that Harry will respond in kind, and Eggsy is not disappointed. Harry pulls Eggsy against him, and it’s a short while before Eggsy pulls away with a contented sigh.

“If you tell anyone, I'll deny it until I'm blue in the face, but I think I've been falling a little bit in love with you each day since we met,” Eggsy explains, looking Harry directly in the eye as if challenging him to give up or turn him away now. “I just didn't really know it until I woke up in your bed with you gone. I mean, instinctually I was a whiny little bugger about it, but intellectually… You know what I mean.”

“I believe so.”

Eggsy looks down for a moment, entwines his fingers with Harry’s, and chews at his own lip for a moment before meeting Harry’s gaze again and asking:

“So, if I’m in love with you, and we both know you’re gone for me, where does that leave us?  Somewhere along the way to happily ever after?”

“Sounds good to me.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @[oggalahad](http://oggalahad.tumblr.com)


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